Unique beauty of ancient houses in Dai Dinh village

Huy Thu • August 10, 2025 08:17

With a long-standing cultural tradition, besides famous historical relics, Dai Dinh village, Dai Dong commune also preserves many unique ancient houses.

Visiting Dai Dinh village, an ancient village located on the Lam River, now in Van Long village, Dai Dong commune (former Thanh Chuong district), after admiring unique architectural and artistic relics such as Nguyen Viet and Nguyen Nhu churches, tourists can visit and learn about ancient houses. Photo: Huy Thu

Through many ups and downs and changes, in Dai Dinh village, people still preserve ancient houses with mossy tiled roofs next to spacious multi-story houses and villas. The house of Mr. Nguyen Viet Ngan's family was built in 1884, 141 years old to date, and is considered the most well-preserved ancient house. Photo: Huy Thu

In front of this house, the eaves are carved and engraved on both sides with soft, unique floral and dragon shapes, especially the two eaves in the middle room. Photo: Huy Thu

bna_4(1).jpg — The ancient houses in Dai Dinh village are built in the traditional four-pillar style, with 3 rooms and 2 ends, 5 rooms and 2 ends. The house frame is mainly made of ironwood, in addition to jackfruit wood, doi wood... Photo: Huy Thu

The middle of the house usually has 2 hidden columns, that is, 2 short columns placed above and below, to create a spacious, airy space for the house. The rectangular hidden column base is decorated quite elaborately. The structures on the roof such as supporting columns, gong racks, and bows are carved with vivid patterns and lotus flowers, demonstrating the skillful talent of ancient carpenters. Photo: Huy Thu

Mr. Hoang Pham Hoa (70 years old), the owner of an ancient house in the village, shared: The house his family is living in was bought from a household on the other side of the Lam River during the resistance war. This house was originally a 5-room ironwood house. At that time, two families bought it together, so each family dismantled half of the house to live in. Photo: Huy Thu

The original ancient house of Dai Dinh village has a roof covered with yin-yang tiles. The gable is designed with two layers above and below to protect from rain and sun. Between the two layers of roof there is a window to let light shine into the house. Photo: Huy Thu

On the roofs of ancient houses, at the two gables and four corners of the house, stylized flower and leaf images were embossed with lime mortar by ancient craftsmen quite sharply. Photo: Huy Thu

Existing alongside the ancient houses are time-worn objects and artifacts such as water tanks built from mussel shells, seashells, and sacrificial objects... Photo: Huy Thu

Mr. Nguyen Viet Ngan (58 years old), the owner of the famous ancient house in the village, said: The house his family is living in was bought by his grandfather from Vinh An village, Thanh Tuong commune (old). During the war years, the ancient house used to be a place for soldiers to live. Existing for nearly 1.5 centuries, although it has been renovated more or less, the house still retains its ancient architecture, is a relic, and preserves many memories of generations in the family. Photo: Huy Thu

Many ancient houses in the village have been renovated, pillars raised, floors paved, walls built... to suit the living conditions of each family. The ancient houses of Dai Dinh village are being preserved and conserved by local people in the spirit of self-awareness and respect for the heritage of their ancestors. Photo: Huy Thu

Unique carved wooden structures on the ancient house of Mr. Nguyen Viet Ngan's family. Video: Huy Thu

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